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The Mellow Jihadi, a journal of experiences biking in NYC

Often blogs are just news gathering sites where events and articles are reposted. (like this one) It’s nice to occasional stumble across ones that are more of live journals where people share their thoughts and experiences with more of a literary flare. Eric, a former NYC messenger and Arabic linguist for the Navy, sent me a link to his blog, “the Mellow Jihadi,” where he writes about biking in the big city and what he calls, “Confessions of a New York City Bike Messenger.”

Here is an excerpt from his posting: Fashion Models and a New York City Bike Messenger

“I brake and my derailler clicks twice. The same snare. Click click. I pull up to a bent no-parking sign and flip my chain-lock off my handlebars. Just ahead, hunched over a blue newspaper rack, another cyclist struggles with his bike.

I throw my chin at him. In greeting. Mostly because I want to stare at his track bike. Or whatever they call those one-geared dealios some guys roll. This dude is not a messenger, but he is a dude. A hipster. The kind with new facial hair not invented yet. All retro and futuristic at the same time. His shirt says something ironic, sarcasm lost on me. I snap my lock shut and dig into my bag for my deliveries.

Outside, two girls stand smoking. The models have the same shape as their skinny mini cigarillos. As in none. Youâ€™ve come a long way, baby.

I hate to break this to you, but some models are not models. Not for beauty anyway. Not up close. Nervous stringy things they are. Maybe they know how to work the camera, but as I pass them, they look like egrets, all swept hair and bob-necked. Sorry girls, I have no egrets in saying it. . .

I walk through the lobby and pass a modely type who frowns at me. I see myself in a mirror, behind the front desk, and I frown at me too.

1 comment to The Mellow Jihadi, a journal of experiences biking in NYC

Would it not just be easier to find a different landlord? I’ve never lived in NYC so I do not know how hard it is to find apartments there but, for all the $ spent on replacing bikes you would think they would leave.